Catherine Russell with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band

Check this out: the Riverwalk Jazz website (click here, or here for the Youtube channel) now features nine videos of a performance by Catherine Russell, in concert with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band and Dick Hyman. I loved Catherine Russell before. After watching these videos, I really have a crush on her. She's very expressive, with her hands as well as her voice, and she seems to be having a really good time on stage. I play her tunes at dances pretty regularly, particularly the following tunes (albums in parentheses):

• I Don't Care Who Knows (Sentimental Streak, available on Amazon)
• Someday You'll Want Me to Want You (Cat, available on Amazon, EMusic)
• As Long as I Live (Inside This Heart of Mine, available on Amazon, EMusic)

I like these tunes because they have really broad appeal. Lindy hoppers who like slower vocals and bluesy jazz will go for these, and they also have a nice chunka chunka in the rhythm section (some of her tunes even feature a ukulele, I think) that makes them work as a transition from classic swing.